Battle of Twelve Armies
The Battle of Twelve Armies was an important battle. History Prelude Thórin & Company, including the "master-thief" Bilbo Baggins trying to recapture the heirloom of their fathers and kill Smaug in order to recapture the whole Kingdom. Bilbo had already done some exploration of the old hallways using the Back Door and had already woken the dragon up while searching for the Arkenstone. After Thórin & Company attempted to drown the dragon, Smaug was able to survive after he bursted out. Erroneously believing, due to some remarks Bilbo had made during his conversation with Smaug, that some scheme of the Lake-folk of Esgaroth was the reason for the Dwarves' (and Bilbo's) presence, Smaug flew to Esgaroth to show them who is "the true King under the Mountain". Smaug's fires burned down the whole town, but the dragon was killed by Bard the Bowman. After the dragon's death, word was spread to all the inhabitants of Rhovanion. The people of Esgaroth cheered for Bard and made him their King. With Esgaroth destroyed, the Humans had to take shelter in the ruined city of Dale. The maddened Thorin learned of this and proceeds to command the Dwarves to block the gates to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. While the survivors of Esgaroth were running low on food, Thranduil arrived with an army of 8000 Silvan Elves of Mirkwood that have brought food and drinks. Kalimac Brandagamba, King of the River-Folk, arrived with 5000 Stoor Hobbits to claim some of the treasure. Beorn, also heard the devastation and Smaug's death, brought in a host of 4000 Beornings. Having heard of the disaster that had struck the befriended Humans, all three races turned aside to offer any help that could be provided. Though Bard and Mika attempts to reason with Thórin to avoid further bloodshed, but the stubborn Dwarf refuses to listen to his company's dismay. Yet, Thórin had succumbed to the sickness and would not fulfill any of the conditions in sharing the treasure that was made by the Dwarves long ago. As a result of Thórin's refusal, the dwarves were about to be trapped in a bloodless siege. However, Thórin had sent messages of his plight to his relatives using as messengers talking Ravens that lived on the Lonely Mountain. These reached Dáin Ironfoot of the nearby Iron Hills. After Gandalf arrives at Dale to warn the three armies of what's coming, Bilbo sneaks out of the Lonely Mountain to hand the Arkenstone over to Thranduil, Kalimac, and Bard in order to prevent war and aid negotiations. The next day, the twelfth share of the treasure was demanded from Thorin for the ransom of his people's heirloom. Thórin learns of Bilbo's actions and almost kills the Hobbit since swore an oath to take revenge on anyone who knowingly kept it from him. Luckily, Mika Milovana and Gandalf arrive at the front with Bard, Kalimac, and Thranduil, telling Thórin that Bilbo is his to keep and the other Dwarves hold off their leader so Bilbo can escape down the wall to Mika. Before the three armies were about to get ready, Dáin Ironfoot marched to Erebor with 6000 heavily armed Dwarves of the Iron Hills, most of them skilled veterans of the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. When Dain's army arrived, the battle was almost joined between two sides (now five armies were on the field). The Battle The battle started when Azog the Defiler sent a large host of 20,000 Mountain Orcs of the Larzoguhoth to attack Dáin's army. While Thranduil and the Elves assist Dáin's army, Azog sends an army of 16,000 Goblin Mercenaries to attack, only for Beorn and his host to hold them off. Angered, Azog sent his third army of 30,000 Guldur Orcs to attack Dale, and lay siege to it. Immediately, Gandalf, Bilbo, Bard, Alfrid, Soury, Mika, Hilda, Kalimac, Percy, the Northrons, and the Stoor Hobbits were forced to move towards the city first and come to its defense before the enemy could reach there. However, that was when a number of Trolls and Ogres climbed over and smashed down the walls for the orcs to gain easy access into the city. During the battle, Thórin eventually overcomes his madness inside Erebor and leads the company out of the Mountain and joins the battle with the Dwarves and Elves. While Guldur Orcs continued to move through the city, Beorn and his host managed to drive most of the Goblins away, and engage the Orcs. Category:Quest of Erebor